


delight

by indefensibleselfindulgence



Series: tactile empathy [10]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Chronic Pain, M/M, Massage, Non-Sexual Intimacy, their unspoken mutual interest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:29:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27764515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indefensibleselfindulgence/pseuds/indefensibleselfindulgence
Summary: “It's quiet extraordinary, the things you get up to when you're not saving the world.”
Relationships: Essek Thelyss & Caleb Widogast, Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast
Series: tactile empathy [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1213122
Comments: 14
Kudos: 165





	delight

**Author's Note:**

> maybe if i write this matt will put essek in the physical vicinity of the nein i say as if the odds of them actually getting to him in 2020 are anything less than 0 (this is reverse psychology matt let them talk in person matt please matt)

“It's quiet extraordinary, the things you get up to when you're not saving the world.” Essek's long fingers skip across the surface of the colored glass with an ease Caleb hardly expected of him. 

They'd been apart for a while, and the distance certainly wasn't aided by the fact that half of the Nein thought was a war criminal. Not that Caleb did, of course, but he liked leaning on them and it was to a degree exhausting hearing it all the time. And not that, even if he was, Caleb had a particularly large problem with war criminals lately. 

“Free time, you know.” He says from his position on the ground. “Does wonders.” 

Essek nods as he turns, eyes wide and gleeful. A child in a candy shop. 

“Wish I had more of it, but what can you do when everyone wants so much of you.” His feet settle gently on to the ground, the barest sound, though Caleb still looks. 

“I won't be offended,” He starts, but Essek holds a hand up.

“I've been trying to stay on my feet more. Beauregard was right, it does make me look pretentious.” 

“Ah-” Caleb smiles, looking back up at Essek's face, at the easy grin there. “She meant it as a compliment.” 

“I'm sure.” 

He looks good, barely as tired as Caleb or the rest of the Nein. But then, if Caleb had to guess he's been set up in comfortable accommodations, and a wizard of his caliber hardly had to deal with the cold. 

“Let me show you the guest room?” 

“I'd love that. Can I ask about the-” He waves a hand around him and Caleb is quick to nod. “Is it all conjuration, or is there traces of evocation in the walls too.” 

“Yes-” His smile gets even larger. It's so nice to talk to someone who understands- “And Abjuration as well, thought that was mostly trial and error-” 

They talk and move through the tower while Caleb talks theory and Essek points out examples. The others had long since split up- half to the dinner table and half to their own rooms for an early night. 

The guest room is lightly furnished, but everything is kept high quality. He tries to guess at what Essek's bedroom must look like, and he thinks he's maybe somewhere in the ballpark after seeing the rest of his manor. Lots of purples, sigils of his Den and of the Dynasty as detailing in the wood work. The bed is a fore poster, with curtains to draw, and the view out the window is of Essek's own back yard. 

“Home away from home.” He says as Essek walks the length of the room, hands lingering on the furs and quilts on the bed. “Or as close too.” 

“Caleb, it's delightful.” There's a lightness in his voice that feels real. “Truly, so much effort on my behave- I hardly know what to say.” 

“It's nothing.” Essek doesn't argue, instead turning and heading for the window. 

There's a wince, and a limp to his step that seemed to have come from now where and Caleb watches before clearing his throat. It seems rude to ask but at the same time, it seems rude not too. Caleb is quick to his side, and when Essek sees the hand he holds out, Essek offers his arm. Caleb takes it and feels half of Essek's weight on him. 

Not that it's a lot. 

“It's recent.” He says- not that Caleb needs an explanation. “You spend years off your feet for the most part, who would have though the body would be opposed.” 

“You can't walk at all?” 

“I can- I can. The cold just makes the pain worse.” Caleb nods-

“My arms ache.” He hopes it's in understanding and not just complaining over him. “We spent a night out in the cold and it- uh. Seeps in to the old wounds.” 

“Hm- Ache is a good word. Sort of a sharp throbbing pain.” He leans down to pat his shins. “Maybe we should sit down, so I don't have to lean on you.” 

“I don't mind.” Caleb says with out thinking- he feels warmth creep up his neck and sees the edges of Essek's ears get darker. Maybe Beau was right, maybe it really is mutual- “Still, the bed.” 

“Please.” 

“Ja- right this way.” Caleb helps him the few steps over and he can tell Essek is fighting to keep the pain off his face. “Anything I can do to help- Anything-” 

Essek huff's, like he's put upon all of a sudden and Caleb can't help but feel warm at that too. 

“Then if I may be so bold as to beg a massage from you.” 

It takes him a minute. The room is silent, until Caleb sits down on the soft bed with out a word and lifts one of Essek's legs in onto his lap. 

He starts from the ankle, as soon as he pulls the boots off of him, heavily strapped and lined with a dark fur of some kind. He digs into the muscle with a gentle force and starts working up slowly. When he hears Essek sigh and fall back onto the pillows, Caleb sighs too- of relief that he's doing it right or of commiseration he's not sure. Both, maybe. Probably both. 

His tights are pretty thick, fur lined too, but Caleb can still push through them, dragging his fingers down along the tight muscles of his shin and calf. 

“When I was younger it was just my knees-” Essek mumbles, eyes closed. “Some days I'd wake up and could barely crawl down the stares and other days I was just fine like nothing ever bothered me- it's astonishingly annoying that I haven't grown out of it.” 

“Clerics-” Caleb starts and feels stupid for it- of course he's seen clerics before. Maybe he could spin it somehow, “Maybe Caduceus could look at it? He's very talented.” 

“Maybe.” And then a moment later, as Caleb gets up past his knee and to his thighs, a gentle cantrip to warm his hands even further. “Isn't Jester also a cleric?” 

“I-mm.” How to say this- “I love Jester and she's very talented but not ah- not so much in healing.” 

“She is very talented- how did that whole volcano thing work out- that's where you were going right- a volcano?” 

Caleb carries on, telling the entire story while Essek seems to struggle to not fall asleep. He chooses to take it as a compliment to his apparent skills as a masseuse and not an insult to his lack luster story telling. At some point they move a little closer to the center of the bed and Essek presents him the other leg. 

“Am I helping at all?” 

Essek nods and slowly opens his eyes just a bit to catch Caleb's face. 

“You're very gentle.” 

“But the pain?” 

“The warmth helps, the magic fingers help. It's hardly a determent to your skill that it still hurts but, it will pass on it's own eventually.” 

“Then I'll stay here, until it does.” 

“You don't have to- Caleb it's all right, really. It might be hours.” 

“Then I have a captive audience to bounce theory off of- the dream.” Essek laughs, and Caleb can't help the joy at that. He has such a nice laugh. So singular, that it keeps his mind off of anyone else he could have ended up thinking about instead. “Maybe even a lesson or two, while I have you.” 

“While you have me.” He echoes, and leans back again, getting comfortable. “You're a delight Caleb.” 

“So are you.” 

Essek huffs a laugh again, and Caleb sets to work.

**Author's Note:**

> comments always very very appreciated
> 
> find me on[ tumblr ](http://iamalivenow.tumblr.com/) and [ twitter](https://twitter.com/miurmiurmiur)


End file.
